Sometimes choosing sustainable options, like buying organic, can be pricey. Lucky for you, rather than starting at the grocery store, the following are some at home steps you can take to save money while living more sustainably:
Make Use of Your Blinds
To capitalize on the (sometimes rare) Rochester sunlight, open your blinds during the daytime. This will help you save on the cost of lighting and heating. Close your blinds at night to keep heat in and to avoid having to crank up your thermostat.
Speaking of Your Thermostat…Check Your Thermostat!
According to energy.gov, Heating and cooling your home uses the most energy (about 48 percent) out of any other system in your dwelling. To save money and energy, set your thermostat to the lowest comfortable temperature in the winter and the highest comfortable temperature in the summer. When you’re sleeping or away from home, depending on the season, set your thermostat to a lower or higher set point.
Use a Power strip
Plug your appliances (desk lamp, TV, alarm clock) into a power strip. Every time you are not making use of the appliances, turn off the strip.
Wash Your Clothes with Cold Water
While it may be tempting to choose hot water for your load of laundry, use cold water instead. About 75 percent of the energy needed to do laundry comes from heating the water. Not only will the use of cold water help your clothes last longer, but it will also help you save around $60-per-year in utilities. To save more energy, if you have the space and time, try hanging your clothing to dry rather than putting them in the dryer.
These are just a few tips to get you started, check back for more Green tips.
Written by Darya Nicol, Class of 2016
Photo by Anita HartBy: Anita Hart Day 198 / 365 – Kitty peeking through blinds July 17.
